Brake lining wear indicator

Claim 2

In a brake lining wear indicator comprising a member to be braked, a friction member having a brake lining for engagement with said member to be braked, probe means mounted on said friction member for engagement with said member to be braked after a predetermined amount of lining wear, alarm means, and electric control means operatively connected with said probe means for activating said alarm means, the improvement wherein said electric control means comprises a transistor of which the base is connected to an electric source and grounded through said probe means, the collector is connected to the electric source through said alarm means and the emitter is grounded, and said probe means comprises a non-conductive plug mounted on a back plate of said friction member and a spring loaded conductive element assembled within said plug, said conductive element including a portion to be disconnected by way of the frictional engagement with said member to be braked, said portion of the disconnected projecting within said plug from the front face of said back plate correspondingly to the predetermined amount of lining wear and remaining disconnected after said frictional engagement with said member to be braked, and said conductive element being disconnectably secured at one end thereof on the portion of said plug projecting from the front face of said back plate and previously biased at the other end thereof inwardly within said plug by a compressed resilient means interposed between a stopper for receiving the other end of said conductive element and the interior wall of said plug thereby to pull said conductive element inwardly upon disconnection of said conductive element.

Claim 3

In a brake lining wear indicator comprising a member to be braked, a friction member having a brake lining for engagement with said member to be braked, probe means mounted on said friction member for engagement with said member to be braked after a predetermined amount of lining wear, alarm means, and electrode control means operatively connected with said probe means for activating said alarm means, the improvement wherein said electric control means comprises a transistor of which the base is connected to an electric source and grounded through said probe means, the collector is connected to the electric source through said alarm means and the emitter is grounded, and said probe means comprises a non-conductive plug mounted on a back plate of said friction member and a spring loaded conductive element assembled within said plug, said conductive element including a portion to be disconnected by way of the frictional engagement with said member to be braked, said portion to be disconnected projecting within said plug from the front face of said back plate correspondingly to the predetermined amount of lining wear and remaining disconnected after said frictional engagement with said member to Be braked, and said conductive element being disconnectably secured at one end thereof on the portion of said plug projecting from the front face of said back plate and previously biased at the other end thereof inwardly within said plug by a leaf spring resilient means caulked at its both ends respectively on the other end of said conductive element and the bottom portion of said plug to be outwardly self-biased thereby to pull said conductive element inwardly upon disconnection of said conductive element.

Claim 4

In a brake lining wear indicator comprising a member to be braked, a friction member having a brake lining for engagement with said member to be braked, probe means mounted on said friction member for engagement with said member to be braked after a predetermined amount of lining wear, alarm means, and electrode control means operatively connected with said probe means for activating said alarm means, the improvement wherein said electric control means comprises a transistor of which the base is connected to an electric source and grounded through said probe means, the collector is connected to the electric source through said alarm means and the emitter is grounded, and said probe means comprises a non-conductive plug mounted on a back plate of said friction member and a spring loaded conductive element assembled within said plug, said conductive element including a portion to be disconnected by way of the frictional engagement with said member to be braked, said portion to be disconnected projecting within said plug from the front face of said back plate correspondingly to the predetermined amount of lining wear and remaining disconnected after said frictional engagement with said member to Be braked, and said conductive element being disconnectably secured at one end thereof on the portion of said plug projecting from the front face of said back plate and previously biased at the other end thereof inwardly within said plug by a leaf spring resilient means caulked at its both ends respectively on the other end of said conductive element and the bottom portion of said plug to be outwardly self-biased thereby to pull said conductive element inwardly upon disconnection of said conductive element.

Claim 5

In a brake lining wear indicator comprising a member to be braked, a friction member having a brake lining for engagement with said member to be braked, probe means mounted on said friction member for engagement with said member to be braked after a predetermined amount of lining wear, alarm means, and electric control means operatively connected with said probe means for activating said alarm means, the improvement wherein said electric control means comprises a transistor of which the base is connected to an electric source and grounded through said probe means, the collector is connected to the electric source through said alarm means and the emitter is grounded, and said probe means comprises a non-conductive plug mounted on a back plate of said friction member and a spring loaded conductive element assembled within said plug, said conductive element including a portion to be disconnected by way of the frictional engagement with said member to be braked, said portion to be disconnected projecting within said plug from the front face of said back plate correspondingly to the predetermined amount of lining wear and remaining disconnected after said frictional engagement with said member to be braked, and said plug including a socket telescopically coupled therewith and said conductive element is formed in a loop shape, the top end of which is secured on the portion of said plug projecting from the front face of said back plate and the tail end of which is integrally mounted on the base portion of said socket, said conductive element being biased by a compression spring interposed between the back face of said back plate and a portion of said socket.

Claim 6

In a brake lining wear indicator comprising a member to be braked, a friction member having a brake lining for engagement with said member to be braked, probe means mounted on said friction member for engagement with said member to be braked after a predetermined amount of lining wear, alarm means, and electric control means operatively connected with said probe means for activating said alarm means, the improvement wherein said electric control means comprises a transistor of which the base is connected to an electric source and grounded through said probe means, the collector is connected to the electric source through said alarm means and the emitter is grounded, and said probe means comprises a non-conductive plug mounted on a back plate of said friction member and a spring loaded conductive element assembled within said plug, said conductive element including a portion to be disconnected by way of the frictional engagement with said member to be braked, said portion to be disconnected projecting within said plug from the front face of said back plate correspondingly to the predetermined amount of lining wear and remaining disconnected after said frictional engagement with said member to be braked, and said plug including a socket telescopically coupled therewith and said conductive element is formed in a loop shape, the top end of which is secured on the portion of said plug projecting from the front face of said back plate and the tail end of which is integrally mounted on the base portion of said socket, said conductive element being biased by a compression spring interposed between the back face of said back plate and a portion of said socket.

Claim 7

In a brake lining wear indicator comprising a member to be braked, a friction member having a brake lining for engagement with said member to be braked, probe means mounted on said friction member for engagement with said member to be braked after a predetermined amount of lining wear, alarm means, and electric control means operatively connected with said probe means for activating said alarm means, the improvement wherein said electric control means comprises a transistor of which the base is connected to an electric source and grounded through said probe means, the collector is connected to the electric source through said alarm means and the emitter is grounded, and said probe means comprises a non-conductive plug mounted on a back plate of said friction member and a spring loaded conductive element assembled within said plug, said conductive element including a portion to be disconnected by way of the frictional engagement with said member to be braked, said portion to be disconnected projecting within said plug from the front face of said back plate correspondingly to the predetermined amount of lining wear and remaining disconnected after said frictional engagement with said member to be braked, said conductive element being formed by a spring element which is secured at its both ends respectively on the bottom portion of said plug and the portion of said plug projecting from the front face of said back plate thereby to be inwardly self-biased away from said member to be braked, and said plug including a boss extending from the center of said bottom portion thereof toward said projecting portion thereof and said conductive element comprising a holding portion integrally confined within said boss, a defaceable portion extending from said holding portion and secured on said projecting portion, and a spiral coil porTion extending from said defaceable portion and wound along said boss, the end of said spiral portion being integrally confined within said bottom portion of said plug thereby self-biasing said conductive element.

Claim 8

In a brake lining wear indicator comprising a member to be braked, a friction member having a brake lining for engagement with said member to be braked, probe means mounted on said friction member for engagement with said member to be braked after a predetermined amount of lining wear, alarm means, and electric control means operatively connected with said probe means for activating said alarm means, the improvement wherein said electric control means comprises a transistor of which the base is connected to an electric source and grounded through said probe means, the collector is connected to the electric source through said alarm means and the emitter is grounded, and said probe means comprises a non-conductive plug mounted on a back plate of said friction member and a spring loaded conductive element assembled within said plug, said conductive element including a portion to be disconnected by way of the frictional engagement with said member to be braked, said portion to be disconnected projecting within said plug from the front face of said back plate correspondingly to the predetermined amount of lining wear and remaining disconnected after said frictional engagement with said member to be braked, said conductive element being formed by a spring element which is secured at its both ends respectively on the bottom portion of said plug and the portion of said plug projecting from the front face of said back plate thereby to be inwardly self-biased away from said member to be braked, and said plug including a boss extending from the center of said bottom portion thereof toward said projecting portion thereof and said conductive element comprising a holding portion integrally confined within said boss, a defaceable portion extending from said holding portion and secured on said projecting portion, and a spiral coil porTion extending from said defaceable portion and wound along said boss, the end of said spiral portion being integrally confined within said bottom portion of said plug thereby self-biasing said conductive element.

Claim 9

In a brake lining wear indicator comprising a member to be braked, a friction member having a brake lining for engagement with said member to be braked, probe means mounted on said friction member for engagement with said member to be braked after a predetermined amount of lining wear, alarm means, and electric control means operatively connected with said probe means for activating said alarm means, the improvement wherein said electric control means comprises a transistor of which the base is connected to an electric source and grounded through said probe means, the collector is connected to the electric source through said alarm means and the emitter is grounded, and said probe means comprises a non-conductive plug mounted on a back plate of said friction member and a spring loaded conductive element assembled within said plug, said conductive element including a portion to be disconnected by way of the frictional engagement with said member to be braked, said portion to be disconnected projecting within said plug from the front face of said back plate correspondingly to the predetermined amount of lining wear and remaining disconnected after said frictional engagement with said member to be braked, said conductive element being formed by a spring element which is secured at its both ends respectively on the bottom portion of said plug and the portion of said plug projecting from the front face of said back plate thereby to be inwardly self-biased away from said member to be braked, and said conductive element comprising a holding portion integrally confined within a thickened side wall of said plug, a defaceable portion extending from said holding portion and secured on said projecting portion of said plug, and a folded leaf spring portion extending from said defaceable portion, the end of said folded leaf spring portion being firmly secured on said bottom portion of said plug thereby self-biasing said conductive element.

Claim 10

In a brake lining wear indicator comprising a member to be braked, a friction member having a brake lining for engagement with said member to be braked, probe means mounted on said friction member for engagement with said member to be braked after a predetermined amount of lining wear, alarm means, and electric control means operatively connected with said probe means for activating said alarm means, the improvement wherein said electric control means comprises a transistor of which the base is connected to an electric source and grounded through said probe means, the collector is connected to the electric source through said alarm means and the emitter is grounded, and said probe means comprises a non-conductive plug mounted on a back plate of said friction member and a spring loaded conductive element assembled within said plug, said conductive element including a portion to be disconnected by way of the frictional engagement with said member to be braked, said portion to be disconnected projecting within said plug from the front face of said back plate correspondingly to the predetermined amount of lining wear and remaining disconnected after said frictional engagement with said member to be braked, said conductive element being formed by a spring element which is secured at its both ends respectively on the bottom portion of said plug and the portion of said plug projecting from the front face of said back plate thereby to be inwardly self-biased away from said member to be braked, and said conductive element comprising a holding portion integrally confined within a thickened side wall of said plug, a defaceable portion extending from said holding portion and secured on said projecting portion of said plug, and a folded leaf spring portion extending from said defaceable portion, the end of said folded leaf spring portion being firmly secured on said bottom portion of said plug thereby self-biasing said conductive element.

Claim 11

A brake lining wear indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compressed resilient means is made of synthetic rubber.

Claim 12

A brake lining wear indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compressed resilient means is composed of at least one dish spring.

Claim 13

A brake lining wear indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compressed resilient means is a compression coil spring.

Claim 14

A brake lining wear indicator as claimed in claim 3, wherein said loop-shape conductive element engages at the top end thereof with a holding pin provided on the projecting portion of said plug and said plug is telescopically coupled with said socket by way of a pin transversing said loop-shape conductive element and held on said socket.